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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 starsTrue Brilliance.
Helped along with a few friends including Joan Baez, Erin Mckeown and Waterboy Steve Wickham, Thea has created an album of sparse beauty. The opening track "Old Soul" gives more than a slight nod to The Waterboys "Strange Boat" and sets the mood perfectly for an album full of heartfelt songs and sheer emotion. I dare anyone to listen to "Slow Journey" and not to be moved...

3.0 out of 5 starsNot a particular favourite.
I had only heard Thea Gilmore's recordings of Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding album and loved that and as I then heard her sing with Joan Baez and loved that too I bought this cd. However I have to admit that the one track I really enjoy is where she sings with Joan Baez, the rest of the cd does little for me. She does have a lovely voice though.

Helped along with a few friends including Joan Baez, Erin Mckeown and Waterboy Steve Wickham, Thea has created an album of sparse beauty. The opening track "Old Soul" gives more than a slight nod to The Waterboys "Strange Boat" and sets the mood perfectly for an album full of heartfelt songs and sheer emotion. I dare anyone to listen to "Slow Journey" and not to be moved. Two strong contenders for song of the year can be found in "When I Get Back To Shore" and "The Lower Road". Maybe the bonus track of "You Spin Me Right Round" is not everyones cup of tea but you can easily forgive her for the twelve tracks of true brilliance that go before.

Having seen her at Norwich recently this girl is truly amazing. Liejacker should be a number 1 album, the single old soul should have charted top 10 and the track "roll on" should be her black horse & cherry tree. Such a talented singer songwriter. I can only feel sorry for those who haven't yet discovered her. If you only buy one album this year make it this one, you won't be disappointed

Thea's new record has been preceded by some difficult times, and it has to be said this is a slower, more downbeat album than its predecessors. However, the space Thea creates reveals some beautiful melodies and Thea's finest singing to date on standout tracks like "Dance in New York".

It seems Thea Gilmore is destined always to be one of those artists who is highly rated by the music press and adored by her fans but never makes the breakthrough to the mass market. In some ways she reminds me of Richard Thompson- and there can be no finer praise- in her rather sardonic, downbeat lyrics, although Thea's songs are rooted in a more modern age.

Liejacker is a mature collection of excellent songs. Its quietness and slow pace may not be the place for newcomers to start. Welcome one and all to the UK's finest singer/songwriter, but I would suggest first trying Avalanche's varied textures and brilliant songwriting. However, Liejacker is highly recommended. And at the end, it would be a hard heart that wasn't lifted by the superb version of "You spin me right round" that closes the album.

Took a couple of listens to get into Liejacker but now I'm hooked. Is there no limit to Thea's talent?

Brilliant on CD but to see her perform live is unforgetable - she engages with the audience, she's witty, personable, rude too! - she made us laugh, then she tugged at the heart strings with her next song. One amazing lady.

The difficulty of reviewing this album without reaching for the book of superlatives probably lies in the fact that, personally, I don't encounter talent like this very often. It seems there has hardly been a month gone by in the last few years when a young female artist hasn't been lauded and /or rocketing up the popular charts. Some of the hype is justified, some not. Either way though it can become tiresome.

In my view at least Thea Gilmore is different. I came across her music by stumbling across `Razor Valentine' (not on this album) at the end of a one-off TV drama. A few seconds of listening to track samples was enough - the download was inescapable.

Comparisons and similes are inevitable whenever I stumble over an artist that is both new to me and makes an impact. Although Thea Gilmore has very much her own style there are clear echoes (to me) of Mary Chapin Carpenter. If you enjoy MCC's rich tapestry of guitar, strings (especially cello, that most powerful of the family) and thoughtful lyrics then you will be safe with this album.

The opener `Old Soul' pretty well sets the tone for the album - it's just simply gorgeous. `The Lower Road' not only features the legendary Joan Baez as guest duettist but would also sit perfectly at home on any MCC album. `And You Shall Know No Other God But Me' is, pardon the cliché, a truly haunting and arresting track. I could go on.

This album is, for me, a rich and yet mellow feast for the ears and based upon this one alone I will be buying everything else she has produced. Someone also appears to have priced it too cheaply. Compelling value for money therefore.

The ingenue waif gives way to the woman of experience, the writing records more fact and less intimation and thus 'Liejacker' (a reference to the truth-skewing culture of spin) is Thea Gilmore's most personal work to date. Some soul-baring here, depression-prompted by the up of the birth of the first child, the down of the split with a long-standing manager and the loss of a record company, yet the cold and maudlin beauty of langourous 'Icarus Wind' and the scab scratchy 'And You Shall No Other God But Me' defy the black dog by signing some hope and redemption ahead. Lighter touches in catchy-chorused 'You Spin Me Right Round' and a ceilidh in 'When I get Back To The Shore' regain a collective balance here, and the excellent US and UK-sourced production work and playing (guests include fans as diverse as The Zutons' Dave McCabe and Joan Baez) lift this collection to that level where you are back wondering, when will that Thea Gilmore be a star? She has the edge.

Thea Gilmore is one of Britain's most underrated gems, a singer/songwriter of intelligence and passion, and this is the perfect place to discover her, as she presents what is arguably her best album to date. After the hard, glossy production of "Harpo's Ghost", "Liejacker" feels more organic, with a bluesy folk sensibility, as if Thea is taking some time to reflect and reach deeper and further for her inspiration. While this album lacks the rocking edge of, say, "Songs from the Gutter", it instead displays a breathtaking warmth and maturity that blossoms, on repeated listenings, to a thing of beguiling, thought-provoking beauty. The result is her most consistently satisfying album and one that I, personally, cannot stop listening to. It's time she got the recognition she deserves.

I became a fan of Thea Gilmore with a lucky purchase of her Songs From The Gutter 2 CD work. It is still my favorite and I rarely see it for sale so if you get the opportunity grab it! Still adding to my collection with my most recent purchase Liejacker. She is sadly a hidden gem and is so disappointing she has not received more accolades for her work. Here in the US it has been a long time since we had any female artist putting out gritty material from the heart and life experience. Our closest artist would be Shawn Colvin, I true UK gem that never disappoints. I truly wish I could afford a trip across the pond to see her perform. Still holding hope that we will see her here performing in the future.

Thea's previous album Harpo's Ghost had some gems on it but in places it lacked the rawness and emotion of her earlier work and live performances. Not so Liejacker. This album sees Thea in a calmer and more reflective mood although her trademark sharp, biting lyrics are still present on tracks such as 'Roll On', 'Wrong Side' and 'Black Letter'. 'Dance In New York', 'Old Soul', 'Rosie' and the lovely duet with Joan Baez 'The Lower Road' are on the mellower side and are beautiful songs to listen to. This is an album that grows on you and becomes more meaningful with each listen.

Overall a fabulous album, definitely one of her best to date and a great one for new Thea fans as well.

An absolutely fantastic album. Streets ahead of the other albums of Thea's that I've heard. She's really matured as a songwriter and her voice sounds great. You can sense her personality throughout. Why is she still on the fringes of the fame thing? Maybe it's a good thing she is, for her and us! Oh, almost forgot, a sublime cover version of You spin me round (like a record) rounds off the collection. Thea is particularly good at picking out the essence of a naff song that makes is sound good (unlike that last sentence of mine!)